Blindly, I'll Follow
by BeingTaylor
Summary: [I'll Blindly Follow rewritten] An accident occurs, leaving Jack in a situation. With the help of his best friends, will he be able to get over the high hurdle or will he succumb to the darkness? Modern AU! Human!Guardians
1. Chapter 1

_(Alrighty, tiny issue. This story was previously I'll Blindly Follow. I had issues uploading the story that I was in the process of rewriting. I have the original story, and am editing it as we speak. But it's been so long since I last updated, I figured I might as well just post what I've got done so far. Now, my apologies, I couldn't fix my uploading issues, so I just deleted the story (losing all my story followers, favorites and reviews). So here it is so far, with a slightly enhanced name. Blindly, I'll Follow. Still same story concept and everything, just rewritten.)_

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Chapter One

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E. Aster Bunnymund, Aster to his friends, sprinted into the ER waiting room of Burgess Memorial Hospital. He all but ran into the receptionist's desk when he skidded to a stop.

"How is he?" He blurted out in his Australian accent as he tried his damn hardest not to hyperventilate.

"Who, sir?" The elderly lady behind the desk asked, concern written all over her wrinkled face. She leant forward a bit to look the huffing and puffing 23-year-old man in the eyes.

"Jack Frost." Aster panted as he attempted to slow his heavy breathing. "I got a call saying he was brought here."

The lady slipped her glasses onto her nose and started typing, at a seemingly slow pace. "He was taken into surgery a few moments ago." She told him as she read her computer screen. "Are you family?"

Aster nodded. "He's my brother." Blood related, no. Lawfully, yes.

She continued to read her screen and remained quiet.

Aster stood there, as patient as he could. "What happened?"

"All it says under his name is he was taken into surgery." She said almost too nonchalantly.

He glared at her. "Then why the bloody hell call me saying he was here and that someone would tell me everything once I got here?"

She sighed. "Right now, that is all I know. The doctor will be able to tell you more about his condition once he is done."

Aster groaned.

"You can have a seat over there and the doctor will be out to tell you more when he's done." She motioned to the row of chairs sitting along the back wall.

Aster sighed and thanked her before trudging over to the uncomfortable chairs closest to the emergency room doors. He leaned against the back of the chair as horrid thoughts began to race through his mind. _'What happened? Was Jack gang beat and left in an alley? Was he involved in a mugging gone wrong? Was he - shut up Aster.'_ He mentally screamed at himself.

Aster and Jack weren't blood related; they viewed each other as brothers and treated each other as such. They were so close that if people asked if they were brothers, they'd nod and say 'yeah'. Jack was the younger more annoying rebel and Aster was the older stubborn but protective one.

That being said, if someone did something to hurt one tiny white hair on his little brother's head, he was going to have _their_ head!

"Aster?" An older doctor walked through the doors to the emergency wing.

Aster stood to meet him. "Yeah."

"I'm Dr. Moon, I've been treating Jack since he was brought in." The man held out his hand, which Aster shook.

"How is he? Do you know what happened?" Aster asked in a worried tone.

"Follow me so we can talk in private." Dr. Moon motioned down the hall. Aster nodded and fell in step behind the doctor.

Once the door was shut, Dr. Moon started flipping through a folder he had tucked under his arm. He pulled out a thin stack of Polaroids and handed them to Aster.

"What are these?" The grey-blue dyed haired young 23 year old asked.

Dr. Moon made his way behind his desk. "Jack was involved in a head-on hit and run accident this morning. Those Polaroids are of his Escalade."

Aster's spring green eyes widened before he started shuffling through the pictures. Jack's prized possession was nothing but a twisted pile of metal and leather interior. "Aw, man." He muttered. "Is he okay?" He looked over at the doctor, who was now sitting, in front of him.

Dr. Moon sighed. "Well, we had to straighten a broken leg and one of his wrists," He began, reading from his folder. "He's got a few broken and cracked ribs, but there isn't much we can do about those. We made sure nothing was punctured and then put him in a wrap. And we had to give him a few stitched above his left eye." He continued. "He may have a little memory issue, we're not too worried about that. Just let the memories come back naturally, tell him stories and remind him gently. But, here's the thing we _are_ worried about; we had to clean a lot of broken glass out of his eyes, and we fear, the glass may have scratched something important."

Aster stood stockstill. "Where you getting at with that?" He asked, accent coming out thicker in his upset state.

Dr. Moon hesitated for a moment. "There is a great opportunity that he may be blind."

Silence filled the room, palpable and ever lingering.

"Can that be fixed?"

The doctor before him shook his head.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Aster's green eyes flicked back and forth, searching for Jack's room number. All the damned numbers on the wall were so confusing, and the hallways all looped around to the same receptionist area. It was a miracle when he finally found the room.

He ran a hand through his short hair as he stood in front of the door separating him and Jack. He sighed, mentally bracing himself for every possible scene he was about to walk into. He reached out and knocked on the faux oak door, alerting anyone conscious inside, of his presence before he slowly opened it.

Jack was the only one in there, and if the deep, even breathing and soft snore were anything to go by, he was sleeping.

Aster closed the door behind him before he made his way over to Jack's bedside. The 23 year old stood over the younger male and looked at him, wincing every time he saw a scratch, bruise, stitch or cast. His eyes trailed back up to Jack's face, taking in the white wrap that covered his eyes and circled around his head to keep it in place. Gently, Aster reached forward and cupped the side of Jack's face in his hand and ran his thumb over the fabric. Before he pulled his hand away, he untucked Jack's bangs from underneath the wrap.

Hours passed as Aster sat in the uncomfortable chair, one akin to the chair in the waiting room, next to the right side of Jack's bed, that way he was out of the way if a nurse came in. In his head, Aster was going over all the possible ways to find the culprit of the accident and all the possible ways to beat the living shit out of him or her an get away with it. But, he'd risk a trip to jail for the chance to take a swing at the person.

His phone suddenly rang, ripping through the silent air and startling him out of his violent thoughts. "Hello?" His voice cracked from disuse as he answered.

"Aster, where are you?" A female voice asked on the other end. Immediately, he recognized the voice to be his friend, Tooth.

"Crikey, I forgot to call you guys." He whispered as he stood from his chair and made his way out into the hall, as to not wake Jack.

"Why? What's wrong?" Tooth's tone of voice switched from cheery to one of concern and worry.

He leaned against the hall wall, and before he was able to reply, a nurse over the PA system asking for a doctor, alerted Tooth as to where he was.

"Aster-" Tooth drug out. "What is going on?"

He ran hand through his hair, an action he found himself doing frequently over the last few hours. "Jack's in the hospital."

"WHAT? WHY? WHAT HAPPENED? IS HE OKAY?" She questioned rather loudly, loud enough for Aster to have to pull the phone away from he ear.

"He got in a head-on hit and run this morning." He began. He slid down the wall to sit on the floor. "His leg was broken, so was his left wrist, he's got stitched above his right eye, cracked and broken ribs. They think he may have a small memory issue to start out, but they said to let it come back naturally. But," He hesitated and began again in an almost whisper. "The doctor said they had to clean a lot of glass out of his eyes, and there is a huge possibility that he may not be able to see again."

Silence returned to him.

"Tooth?" He asked quietly.

"They," She started equally as quiet as him. "They can't fix it?"

Aster shook his head, before realizing that they weren't FaceTiming so she couldn't see him. "No. They glass may have scratched something. They can't fix that.

"Are you with him right now?" She questioned quietly.

"Yeah, they called me when he got here. He's asleep at the moment."

"How long have you been there?"

"Maybe six hours or so."

"Is he awake?"

"I don't think so, he hasn't moved a muscle since I've been here. Hope he does soon though."

Aster was sitting in the uncomfortable chair with his head in his hand, resting for a bit.

A groan broke the hours of silence that was in the hospital room.

Aster's eyes flashed open at the soft sound. "Jacky?"

"Hmm?" The almost inaudible reply came from the white haired boy on the bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Hey." Aster greeted so quietly, it was barely a whisper level.

Jack turned his head, slightly, in the direction of Aster's voice. "Hi." His voice cracked something terrible.

"How ya feeling?" The older male asked gently as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

Jack was quiet for a moment.

"Jack?"

"Who's Jack?" The white haired young man asked.

Aster sighed. Memory issue? Check. "You are." He told him.

"Oh. That's good to know." Jack mumbled. "And you are-?"

"Aster." He stated. "How ya feeling?"

"Horrible." The younger male said. "Where am I?"

"You're at the hospital." Aster replied softly.

"Why?" Jack slightly jumped.

"Well," Aster began as he watched Jack pick at the blanket in his non-injured hand. "You were in a car accident this morning."

Jack froze for a moment. "Is that why I can't remember anything?"

"Yeah. That would be why."

"Is the other guy okay?"

Uh, I believe so, he, uh, he drove away." Aster hesitated. "You were in a hit-and-run accident."

"Oh." Was Jack's only reply.

Aster sighed and reached across Jack to grab the nurse's call button.

"What're you doing?" Jack mumbled as he leaned back against the pillows.

"I'm just calling the doctor. Someone should be in here in a few." Aster explained. "Want a drink of water? Something to eat? Anything?"

Jack shook his head at every offer. "Thank you though."

"Just let me know when you do. I'd get you something that isn't gross hospital food." Aster chuckled.

"I will."

20 minutes of patiently waiting, there was a knock on the door and it finally opened and Dr. Moon walked in.

"Hello, Jack, I'm Dr. Moon." He greeted as he made his way to the middle of the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible."

The doctor nodded as he wrote something down on his clipboard. "Are we having memory issues at all?"

Both Jack and Aster nodded.

"Okay." Dr. Moon muttered, once again making notes on the paper. "Well, like I was telling you," He motioned to Aster. "Just let it come back naturally. Jack, what _can_ you remember?"

"Everything is fuzzy and blurred." He tried thinking back, but all he could see in his mind were muffled names and blurred shapes.

"No names?"

"No."

Dr. Moon wrote something else down. "That's understandable. Over time, those should sharpen." He walked closer to Jack's bedside, opposite side of Aster, closer to the door. "You were in a hit and run accident this morning. And as a result of it, you had a broken leg, and a broken wrist. A few of your ribs are either cracked or broken, we gave you stitches above your right eye for a particularly deep cut, and of course you know about the slight memory fog." Dr. Moon told Jack. "But, we are worried about one thing." He hesitated, watching Jack's demeanor.

"And that is?" Jack's voice cracked.

"We had to clean glass out of your eyes when you were brought in. " Dr. Moon began slowly. "And we're afraid that something was scratched when the glass go into your eyes. Unfortunately, we will not be able to fix this, if this will be the case."

Jack stiffened at what he meant. He understood how he probably wouldn't be able to see again.

Aster gently put his hand on Jack's shoulder, silently letting Jack know he was there for him.

"But we wont find out until tomorrow, when we take the wrap off." The doctor finished. "For now though, are you in any pain what so ever?"

Jack just shook his head.

"Alright, just hit the nurses' call button when you are. We'll check back in on ya in a little bit." Dr. Moon said. He gave Jack a sad smile even though he knew Jack couldn't see it, before standing up and walking out, shutting the door behind him.

Jack was quiet for a while after Dr. Moon left.

"Jacky?" Aster whispered. "Ya okay?"

The white haired male hesitantly shook his head. "No." He mumbled so quietly, Aster almost didn't hear it.

Instantly, the older of the two wrapped his arms around the younger. Jack wrapped his good, unrestricted with wires arm around Aster, and buried his face in Aster's shoulder.

"I'm scared." Jack sniffled.

Aster rubbed his hand up and down the length of Jack's back in a comforting manner. "I know, I know. But we're gonna get ya through this, mate. We'll figure something out." Aster said, trying his best to calm his friend.

Jack just shook his head and hugged his older brother tighter.

"Of course we will, now, why don't ya try to get more sleep? Ya said ya were tired before Dr. Moon came in-" Aster got cut off.

"I'm not tired anymore." Jack mumbled into Aster's shoulder.

"Well ya should, mate, ya gotta rest so ya can get better." Aster said into Jack's hair as he pulled him into a tighter hug.

"I don't wanna." Jack muttered.

"Ya don't wanna get better? Or ya don't wanna sleep." Aster asked to clarify.

"Sleep. I don't wanna sleep." Jack told him and pulled away from the warm, comforting embrace he was held in. He sat back against the pillows of his bed again.

"Well, ya have to." Aster pulled the blanket up to Jack as he got of the bed.

"You're staying here, right?" Jack asked in a small, childlike voice.

"Of course." Aster said with a smile in his voice. "I'll always stay here."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Jack awoke at some point in the night. Of course he couldn't tell what time it was, or if he was even awake. He couldn't see anything. Emotionally numb for the time being. He just laid there.

Jack could feel Aster lying next to him, hear Aster's soft, even breaths. Jack felt comforted by the fact Aster was here, he stayed and he was going to help him.

All Jack's life, he's had to virtually take care of himself. His parents were never around, always working. And when they were around, they had friends over, discussing something professional. They were CEOs of something with numbers; Jack never paid attention to what, nor did he care. All he cared about was the fact that he was raised by at least 20 nannies, all of which mother tongues were anything _but_ English. When his parents _were _there, he couldn't talk to them, always feeling like anything he would say wouldn't be intelligent enough. Even if he just wanted to talk out a problem.

Jack was in 2nd grade when he met Aster, who was in 5th. Their elementary school did this art project and the two were paired together. The two just clicked. Instant friendship. Brothers. They've just grown closer everyday since.

"_I guess I'm stuck with you." A fifth grade Aster Bunnymund slightly scoffed, annoyed that he had to participate in the stupid school wide art project. _

"_Hi." Little Jack gave a small smile to his partner. _

_Aster sighed. "I'm Aster." _

"_Jack." The young white haired lad replied. _

"_Right, whatever." The older of the two rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go get the stupid assignment." Aster started walking away._

"_Stupid is a mean word." Jack muttered quietly as he trailed close behind._

_Aster spun around fast, making Jack bump into him. "What?" _

_Jack's blue eyes went as wide as the moon in the night sky. "Um," The child hesitated for a second, and then gained his confidence. "Stupid is a mean word." He stood up on his tippy-toes to get in Aster's face. "You shouldn't use it."_

_Aster glared at him for a moment. "You're stupid." Then turned around and started walking again, this time, with a little more speed. "Let's go."_

Jack smiled at that memory. His first week at that elementary school and Aster was the first kid to talk to him. After all, Jack was the weird new kid with white hair, who would want to talk to him?

_Jack and Aster sat on the playground underneath some pine trees, drawing in their sketch books, when Aster would look over at him. _

"_What's with your hair, kid?" Aster asked, rather rudely._

_Jack lifted his pencil off his paper, as to not make any accidentally marks when he turned his attention away from the paper. He shrugged. "It's always been like this."_

_Then his demeanor somewhat dimmed. "I know, it's weird; everyone says it, you can say it too."_

_Aster sat there for a moment. Just because his hair was different, didn't mean it was weird. Aster watched as Jack went back to drawing in the sketchbook. "It suits you." Was all Aster commented. _

"_What?" Jack looked up, not expecting something to genially sound like a compliment. _

_Aster nodded his head. "Your hair, it suits you."_

"_How?" Jack sat straighter, he was sure now was when Aster was gonna hit him with a rude remark and laugh at how gullible Jack was. _

"_Well, your last name is Frost, and frost is associated with winter and snow. And snow is white, like your hair. You look like a snowflake." Aster casually shrugged his shoulders. _

_Jack smiled. That's actually what he always referenced his hair with, winter. He _was _like a snowflake!_

Jack sighed as his mind started taking off without his permission; going back through the ages and good times. Times when he could see, times that he took for granted.

At least his memories weren't as fuzzy as the day before.

Well, there was nothing else to do, might as well let his mind do as it will.

"_Hi snowflake." Aster plopped down next to him. "How's your drawing coming along?" _

"_Almost done." Jack said in an almost monotonous voice, concentrating on his drawing. _

_Aster looked over at the white paper that was now completely filled to the edges with pencil markings of swirls and spirals. A winter landscape decorated the page. Aster was impressed, Jack had potential. _

"_That's really good, mate." The Australian 10 year old complimented._

"_Thanks." Jack mumbled. _

_Aster looked at Jack for a moment. Something was up with Jack. "What's wrong?" _

_Jack shook his head. _

_Aster sat there quietly. "Well, I ain't leavin' until you tell me." _

"_We have a project to work on." Still talking in a monotone, Aster let the subject drop for now. _

"_I'll go get the poster board." The fifth grader mentioned quietly, before he stood up from the table to go over to the teacher in the room. _

_Jack sat there waiting, when his stomach growled. Boy, was he hungry! His parents didn't come home until late the last two nights, so he hasn't had an actual meal in three. He didn't even have lunch money for the day. His parents forgot to leave it this morning before they left for work, again. They work too much to notice him. Normally his nanny would cook for him, but she's been leaving his house early, leaving Jack with the gardener. And the gardener couldn't cook worth anything._

"_Here we go." Aster said as he approached the table Jack was seated at, and laid the poster down flat. _

_For the last hour of school that day, they worked on combining their drawings onto the poster board. Jack and Aster worked an Easter scene in with a winter wonderland. And at the bottom of the poster, a line of brightly decorated Easter eggs spelled out _

'_Keep the Arts in our school' _

"Bunny?" Jack whispered, being bored of laying there. "Bunny, are you awake?" He used the nickname he's always called Aster.

No answer.

Jack sighed.

"_What's your last name?" Jack asked as he sat on the bench on the playground next to Aster. _

"_Why?" Aster gave him a look._

"_You know mine, but I don't know yours." The second grader shrugged. _

_Aster sighed and hesitated for a moment. "Bunnymund." _

_Jack fought with all his might to not laugh. "That's an awesome last name." _

_Aster rolled his eyes; Jack wasn't hiding his amusement very well. _

_The bell rang for school to start. _

"_Bye Bunny!" Jack jumped up and ran into the building before Aster could give a comment on that name. _

_And that name stuck. _

"Frostbite?" Aster asked, groggily, he shifted so he was propped up to look over at Jack better.

"Hi." Jack gave the small greeting with an almost not forced smile.

"Hi." Aster greeted, hoping jack could hear the small smile in _his_ voice.

"What time is it?" Jack questioned, letting out a frustrated sigh.

Aster looked around, and then dug in his pocket for his phone. "Uh, 3:47 in the morning."

Jack shifted his position and huffed another breath.

"What's wrong?" Aster sat up a little bit more.

Jack turned his face to the elder and gave a '_seriously?_' look the best he could.

"Beside the obvious?" The 23 year old mentally slapped him self twice.

"I'm bored. And I'm tired of sitting here. And I can't see. And I wanna kick that stupid guy's ass. And I want to go home." Jack muttered.

Aster scooted closer to Jack and wrapped an arm gently around the younger's small shoulders. "I know, I know. The doctors will finish patching you up, then I'll take you home. Want the TV on?"

Jack leaned into the half armed embrace, and nodded against Aster's shoulder.

Suddenly, sounds of an unidentified late night infomercial filled the quiet room.

"Anything in particular?"

"Whatever's on Nick at Nite." Jack mumbled.

"Alright." Aster began clicking through the channels trying to find it. He leaned his head on Jack's. "We'll get you through this, Jacky."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Flashbacks assaulted Jack's mind the entire rest of the night. Not that he was complaining, it was good to start to remember things. The doctor told him it would take a while to remember everything he did before, but at least it was coming back.

A knock on the door alerted the two occupants of a visitor.

"How are we doing this morning, Jack?" Dr. Moon greeted as he walked into the grey hospital room.

The young male shrugged and stayed quiet.

The middle aged doctor glanced over at Aster, who shook his head slightly. _No, Jack isn't all right._

Dr. Moon softly sighed. "Do you hurt anywhere, Jack? Headache? Backache?"

Jack shook his head slowly, but again, didn't say a word. He knew what was coming next. Removing the wrap around his eyes. He didn't think he could handle that yet. Removing the fabric would decide his future.

Jack felt Dr. Moon sit at the foot of his bed.

"Well, there's only one thing we need to do now." The doctor told the two young men he was facing.

Jack sighed.

"Whenever you're ready." Dr. Moon said as he watched Jack's body language towards it.

Aster quickly grabbed Jack's hand in a comforting manner; letting the younger know he was there, he wasn't leaving. And he gave it a quick squeeze.

And Jack squeezed back. Then nodded.

"Ready?" Dr. Moon asked.

Jack nodded again.

Dr. Moon reached forward to unclip the fabric, and let it fall from Jack's face. "Can you see anything?"

Jack sat there for a moment, blinking his eyes rapidly. Trying to see. Trying to see anything but this darkness. After repeatedly failing at seeing something, he shook his head.

Silence.

Too much silence followed that small action.; too much for Jacks' comfort.

"Somebody say something." Jack muttered.

Dr. Moon and Aster looked between one another then to Jack, who was hanging his head.

"Well," Dr. Moon began, but didn't quite know how to finish. "There isn't anything we can do about this. The glass must have penetrated something important."

_Great._

After Dr. Moon left, Jack and Aster sat in silence.

"Jack-"

"Leave me alone, please." Jack leaned back and rolled over, facing away from his non-related brother.

Aster let out a sigh. "I have to go call work. I'll be back in a few minutes. Need anything?"

"My sight back, if it's not too much trouble." Jack bitterly spat out. He wasn't angry at anyone except the ass who slammed into his car.

Aster looked at Jack sadly for a moment, then got up to walk out the door, closing it behind him. He leaned up against the wall across the hall from the faux wooden door and ran a hand through his hair before pulling his phone out and dialing some numbers.

"Burgess Museum of Art, Shelly speaking how may I help you?" Shelly answered the phone.

"Hi Shell, it's Aster." He greeted.

"Hey!" Shelly said with a smile in her young sounding voice.

"Can you direct my call to Phil?" Aster quietly asked.

"Yeah, sure." Aster could hear Shelly pushing some buttons.

The line went quiet before a dial tone came on, then ringing.

"Phil Yeti." His boss greeted as he picked up the call.

"Phil, it's Aster." Aster began.

"Ah, Aster, how nice of you to finally call in." Phil sarcastically snapped.

Aster pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Listen, I'm going to need to use a few of my vacation days."

"Of course." Aster could almost see Phil rolling his eyes.

"It's a family emergency." Aster huffed.

"Is everyone alright?" Phil asked, genuine concern colored his voice, wiping away the sarcastic tone.

"No, my brother was in an accident yesterday morning, and we just found out he's blind. And he needs me for the next few days." Aster muttered.

"Okay, take as much time as you need. You have 20 vacation days available." Phil told him.

"I'll use seven." Aster thought.

"Including yesterday?" Phil asked.

"Yeah." Aster nodded, even though he knew Phil couldn't see.

"Alright." Phil said.

"Thanks Mr. Phil. I will see you when I come back." Aster replied.

"Please give your brother our best wishes for him." Phil softly said.

Aster nodded again. "I will, thank you. Goodbye Mr. Phil."

"Goodbye Aster." Phil ended the call.

Aster slid down the wall to the floor and leaned his head back to look at the ceiling. He wasn't thinking of anything, he was just sitting there for a few moments; just sitting and staring.

A beep from his phone, broke him out of the trance.

Glancing down, he saw Tooth texted him.

'_How is he?'_

That is a simple question with a complex answer.

_Call._

"Hey." Tooth answered on the second ring. "You're on speaker, everyone's here."

"Hi." Aster muttered.

"How is he?" North, their Russian friend asked.

"He can't see." Was all Aster said.

His two speaking friends gasped, and he could picture Sandy, their friend that never talked, making a '_oh no!'_ expression.

"How's he taking it?" Tooth quietly questioned, concerned about her secret crush's well being.

"Right now, not well, but you can't really blame him." Aster rubbed his hand through his hair.

"Is he up for visitors?" Tooth asked. "Tomorrow?"

He thought for a moment. "I honestly don't know. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings and how he's feeling at that particular moment."

"That's understandable." North's voice traveled over the line.

"Alright, well, I have to go. I'll text you guys if there are any updates." He mumbled.

"Please?" Tooth asked.

"Yeah." Aster agreed. "Talk to you all later."

"Bye." The two voices said. "Sandy says bye too. Give Jack our best."

"Will do." Aster said before he hung up.

He sat there for a minute more, before getting up and walking back into Jack's room.

"You still awake?" Aster asked as he walked back in, quietly shutting the door.

"Yeah." Jack's soft voice cracked.

"Everyone says hi." Aster crawled back onto Jack's bed.

"Hi." Jack's voice sounded like he was on the verge of tears, but didn't want to let them fall.

The elder wrapped his arms around the younger and gently pulled him close. Jack turned in the embrace as best he could, given his right arm was attached to a machine with needles. He buried his head in Aster's shoulder and let a few tears leak out.

Just a few.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Slowly, over the next few days, Jack's memories trickled back into his mind. Faces were no longer blurry shapes, names were no longer fuzzy and his life achievements were no longer foggy.

Jack laid in the hospital bed, alone. Aster left to go home to shower and to pick up something for lunch that wasn't hospital food.

It was silent in the room.

Although at any moment, he could turn the TV on and escape the silence and negativity of his thoughts, but he chose not to. He needed to process this event, and grieve, while no one else was around.

He thought of all the things he wouldn't be able to see anymore. Sunshine, the dew on flowers in the early morning light, the monthly full moon, he wouldn't be able to watch his favorite shows, only listen to them and pretend it's radio.

His mind also ghosted over things he'll never get to do again. He wouldn't be able to drive, or walk around and get lost by himself in the woods, or take pictures.

He just lost his source of income.

A few hours prior, Jack had asked questions about himself, trying to get all of his memory that was missing, back. He had asked what he did and Aster had told him that Jack was a photographer. And evidently, he was an amazing one at that.

After that conversation, a few memories slid back into their rightful place in the back of his mind.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, startling Jack out of his thoughts.

"Jacky, I got you something." It was Aster, all nice and clean, and carrying a couple Wendy's bags and a drink carrier.

"My sight?" The white haired young man sarcastically asked.

Aster shook his head before remembering. "Nope. Hold out your hand." He commanded, walking closer to Jack's bed.

Jack hesitated at first, but held out his right, uninjured hand.

Aster held a cup in Jack's outstretched hand, and waited until the younger had a grasp on it before pulling away. "Guess what it is."

The holder of the cup pulled the container to his face and gave it a quick sniff. "A frosty?"

"Yep." Aster plopped back down on the other side of Jack, furthest from the door, in the same spot he's been in for the past few days. "I've got actual food, with absolutely no nutritional value, and real taste."

A very tiny, tiny, tiny smile crept onto Jack's face; it made Aster happy he finally got a small dose of a happy expression form Jack.

"Thanks." Jack grabbed the spoon his best friend held out to him.

The green eyed male settled more into his place next to companion. He pulled out sandwiches and fries and handed one of each to Jack.

"Thank you." Jack mumbled.

"Everyone was wondering when they could come see you." Aster began.

"I dunno." Jack muttered. "Don't matter." He shrugged.

Aster sighed. "Of course it matters. If you're not up to anybody coming today, just say no; we all want you to feel better, and if it stresses you out if they come, just say no."

Jack fell quiet for a moment. "Maybe tomorrow."

"JACK!" Tooth practically screamed as she flew in the room, attacking said young man in a light, careful hug.

"Hi." Jack gave her a small squeeze back.

"How are you? How's your leg? How's you hand? Oh my gosh! I didn't hurt you when I hugged you did I?" Tooth spoke a mile a minute, as she tucked her long dark hair behind her ears.

Jack let out a small chuckle. "I'm fine, you didn't hurt me." He told her. "Where is everyone?" He asked when he didn't hear anyone else in the room.

"Um, Sandy had a dentist appointment, lucky, but he told me to tell you he'd be right over when he was done. North was trying to get off of work early, but of course we know how he fees about leaving his workers alone. And Aster was on the phone out side when I passed him. " Tooth told him.

"Oh." Jack nodded. To be honest, he was glad he got to only visit with one person to start out with. Not allowing anyone but Aster near him, in fear that they would find him completely incompetent, and not want to be around him anymore.

"How's your hand?" Tooth asked as she gently placer her hand over his broken wristed one.

"Hand's fine, but the wrist it is placed upon is a little tingly." Jack tried so very hard to joke like his old self, but it came out too forced.

Tooth ran her fingers lightly over the cast as she looked at him, really looked at him. And she noticed details she's never noticed before. How his hair had different shades of white; a dark enough shade to be confused with gray, to a medium shade like a new piece of paper then the lightest shade as white as freshly fallen snow. She also noticed the little scar he had on the bridge of his nose, and she was certain it wasn't from the accident. She saw the laugh lines on the corner of his mouth, a testament to how much he loved to laugh, and make people laugh, but she also saw the worry lines on his forehead, mostly due to him making a worried face at the present moment.

But something new jumped out at her. His eyes; once a vibrant, beautiful shade of a dark, soul-binding sky blue, were now a foggy, clouded, faded blue. It saddened her quite a bit to know she wouldn't see that blue color ever again. Nonetheless, she would choose to have this Jack over a non-living one. And she was sure deep down inside of him, Jack preferred living but not seeing than not being alive. That accident could have easily been a horribly fatal one.

There was a knock at the door. Tooth looked over and saw North and Aster standing there.

"Hi Jack." North greeted as the two men walked in.

"Hi North." Jack greeted back as he leaned against his bed.


End file.
